Basic Photoshop Skills

How to use Photoshop and

example of using

Photoshop on an image

This is the image I

am going to be

using to edit, I am

going to explain

how this image (see

left) is going to turn

into this image

(image on the right).

I have changed the

colour of her eyes, made

her skin smoother and

put a layer of colour on

her lips to look like she

has used lip stick.

Edit and Enhance Image

I opened the image in Photoshop, then when it came up I

duplicated my background layer so I can have a back up and

see the before and after effect. Then (on the duplicated layer) I

went to the spot healing brush.

Spot Healing Brush

When I clicked on the tool and the little circle comes up (you can

make it as big or small as you want); this is the tool to work

around your image removing any blemishes. The spot healing

brush is to remove any blemishes or any defects from the image.

Gaussian

Blur Tool

I have used a Gaussian blur

because I need to blur the

background and I need to

make her skin blend it without

open pores.

I went to ‘Filter’ and

then chose ‘Gaussian

Blur’.

Then this menu box

appears and I

choose how blurry I

wanted the image to

be (by changing the

radius). It also

shows a preview of

how your image is

going to look. I

chose the radius of

1.7 pixels, this is

because I don't want

her skin to look too

fake and make it

look like I have done

something to it

because I want it to

look natural.

My duplicated layer looks like this

because I had to then erase parts (but

make sure you are on the duplicated

layer) which I want to stand out (the eyes

to come back out, the mouth, the

eyebrows, the hair, the nose piercing and

the earring). I am only trying to heal the

skin to make it look flawless, not her

features.

AfterBefore

Change Eye ColourThen I wanted to change her eye colour

to make her eyes stand out more but I

used the colour yellow but looks more

green. I made a new layer to work on the

eyes, then I chose the brush tool so I can

make her eyes change colour. Then I

chose my colour which is yellow; then

with the pain brush tool, I made two

spots over her eyes (which looks like

this). Then I rubbed out (using the eraser)

to rub out any edges which is not in line

with her eye. The I changed the layer

style.

Layer StylesHere are examples of

the different layers that I

had to use to change my

eye colour and lip

colour

Layer Style for the Eye ColourBy changing the layer style, this makes the ‘eye layer’ blend in with the

actual image rather than looking like she has two spots over her eyes;

these are the different layer types. I went through all of them trying to

make it look right and settled on ‘Overlay’ with the opacity on 100%.

Normal

Darken

Colour Dodge Overlay

Soft Light

Vivid Light

Hard Mix

Here are examples of the different

layers but I think overlay looks like

the best layer for this image

because it blends in best.

Saturation

Change the Lip ColourTo change the lip colour, you do the same thing like you are doing the

eyes but on the lips (same thing with the hair); I settled with red lip colour.

I drew over her lips with the brush tool

but it looks weird if you leave it like this

so I had to change the layer style and I

used the eraser to go perfectly around

her lips.

Layer Style for the Lip ColourBy changing the layer style, this makes the ‘lip layer’ blend in with the

actual image rather than looking like she has smudged lip stick on her

lips; these are the different layer types (look to the right). I went

through all of them trying to make it look right and settled on ‘Overlay’

with the opacity on 25% to blend it in much better

Normal

Darken

Colour

Dodge

Overlay

Vivid Light

Hard Mix

Here are examples of the

different layers (100% opacity)

but I think overlay looks like

the best layer for this image

because it blends in best to

make it look real.

Saturation

Soft Light

Final ImageWhen I chose ‘overlay’, I changed the opacity to make it blend even better on the

image. The opacity refers to the amount of transparency a layer has. For example,

if a layer’s opacity is set to 100%, then that layer is completely opaque (in other

words, you can’t see through it). If a layer’s opacity is set to 50%, then it is see-

through, or moderately transparent, and layers behind it can show through. On

the other end of the scale, if a layer’s opacity is set to 0%, then that layer is

completely transparent (that is, invisible). Therefore I changed the opacity to 25%

by adjusting the bar in the opacity menu.

Overlay 100%

Overlay 25%Adjust the bar

Final

School Magazine

Analysis

Comparing two magazines

and analyzing the colour,

fonts and layout etc.

First Magazine

Photo/Image: The

image is in Sepia, it

works because if it

was in colour it would

clash with the front

cover lines and title

which means the

whole magazine

would have to change.

Layout: I would

use the same

layout as this

newsletter as the

front picture is

on the left and

the writing is on

the left.

Colour: It uses two colours (white &

sepia for the image)

Font: It uses

one font but in

different sizes

(for the

Masterhead). I

would use at

least two fonts

for my front

cover.

Contents: It doesn't

show the contents but

has cover lines and

shows the magazine

date.

Cover Lines: It shows

what is going to be in

the newsletter but has

different stories for

different genres

which would appeal to

teenagers? (Music,

Religion)

Masterhead: The

Masterhead is big and

bold but is put at the

bottom rather at the

top. I would put mine at

the top rather than the

bottom.

Photo/Image:

this image is in

colour which

does compliment

the title and the

magazine. It

shows what the

school is like and

gives an artistic

feel to it.

Layout: I can tell that

this is not a

professional

magazine as the

image is in the

middle rather than

the left side. Normally

they use the same

layout throughout the

newsletters/magazine

s (left: picture, right:

cover lines) but this

magazine is very

different. Colour: It uses blue, white, red and

black.

Font: It uses around

three fonts but it

works as it is not all in

one place on the

newsletter but is space

out around.

Cover

Lines/contents: it

does not use any cover

lines. I would use

cover lines to attract

my audience.

Masterhead: The

masterhead is the

schools name but

uses a logo/crest. It is

all in CAPITALS but

the quote underneath

is in a different font to

split the title with the

quote.

Second Magazine

Comparing and Contrasts

Comparing:

• Use different fonts

• Use date

• Uses a range of fonts

• Uses a quote

• Uses a range of colours

Contrasts:

• No cover lines (S)

• One uses a logo/crest (S)

• Layout is different

• Different colour images (front image)

My School Magazine

Analysis

Print Screens of my school

magazine developing,

changes and Feedback

Before

After: I had to flip over my image

because their would be no room to put

my kickers and it would overlap the main

image.

I added a TITLE because

the audience needs to

know which magazine

they are reading and if they

wanted to buy it again they

need to know what the

name is.

Added a MAIN STORY to do

with past exam stories. I

chose to do this because I

thought that the main thing

sixth form is about is exams.

I thought the audience would

probably not be as focused

on their exams because

they would think it would be

easy like GCSE but to be

honest, hearing the stories

from the above year it is very

different and I think they

should be aware of that.

TITLE

ANOTHER STORY: This story

is a interview with a celebrity

from outside school becoming a

teacher for a few days and their

experience in St Marylebone.

ANOTHER STORY: This story

would help students in sixth form

how to revise so when they go

back to their notes, they would

know where their notes are and

would understand them. I think

this story would help them a lot

throughout their time in sixth

form.

MAIN COVER STORY

DATE, ISSUE NO &

SELL LINE: I have added

a date and issue number

so that it looks more

skilled and looks like a

real magazine. Also if I

had made a few issues

through out the school

year, they would know

which magazine was the

first issue and so on.

TITLE

MAIN COVER STORY

ANOTHER STORY

ANOTHER STORY

DATE, ISSUE NO &

SELL LINE

TITLE

MAIN COVER STORY

ANOTHER STORY

ANOTHER STORY

BARCODE: I have

added a barcode to

make it look more

professional and make

it look like a real

magazine.

Feedback from Debbie

What I like

• I really like the professionalism of the magazine. The barcode and

the issue number make it look authentic. The structure is very clear

and everything is bold and readable.

Constructive Criticism

• Maybe add a price for the magazine.

• The first ‘e’ in ‘Level’ blends with the colour of the green folder

• The ‘s’ in ‘experiences’ looks slightly bigger than the rest of the

letters in the word

Any feedback from Me

• The ‘S’ in experiences is like that because of the font I have chosen to use in my magazine.

NORMAL ‘S’ IN

THIS FONT

CAPITAL ‘S’ IN

THIS FONT

• I am going to add a price above my barcode and change the font of the explanatory text.

Changes

• Even though I can’t change the ‘S’ I have found a way how to by copying and pasting an ‘S’ in another word to make it look right.

I COPIED THE ‘S’

AND PASTED IT AT

THE END OF

‘EXPERIENCES’

Before and After Magazine

ChoicesWHEN I CHANGED MADE A

SHADOW FOR THE MAIN STORY

LINE, I HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE

WITHER I WANTED THE SHADOW

TO BE GREEN AND THE MAIN

TEXT TO BE WHITE OR THE

OTHER WAY AROUND BUT I

CHOSE A GREEN SHADOW AND

WHITE TEXT BACUSE IT LOOKS

MORE ENHANCED.

WHITE TEXT

AND GREEN

SHADOW

GREEN TEXT

AND WHITE

SHADOW

After Magazine

I HAVE CHANGED THE

EXPLANOTORY TEXT

FONT TO ‘LineaEF’

BECAUSE THE KICKER’S

FONT IS MENT TO BE

DISSIMILAR

I HAVE CHANGED THE

COLOUR BECAUSE

FROM THE FEEDBACK,

SHE SAID THAT THE ‘E’

IN ‘LEVEL’ BLENDS IN

WITH THE GREEN FROM

THE FOLDER SO I HAD

TO BOLD THE WHOLE

TEXT.

I HAVE ADDED A PRICE ABOVE

THE BARCODE SO THE

AUDIENCE KNOWS HOW MUCH

THE MAGAZINE IS

Tools UsedTHIS ALLOWS YOU TO SELECT

ANYTHING ON YOUR

DOCUMENT AND ALLOWS YOU

TO MOVE OBJECTS AROUND

THE PAGE

I USED THIS TOOL AT THE BEGINNING

TO REMOVE ANY DEFECTS (SPOTS)

FROM MY IMAGE

I USED THIS TOOL TO ERASE MY

DUPLICATE LAYER BECAUSE I MADE A

‘GAUSSIAN’ BLUR TO BLUR OUT THE

BACKGROUND AND CLEAR MY

MODELS FACE

I USED THIS TEXT TOOL BECAUSE I

NEEDED TO ADD MY STORIES, TITLE,

PRICE AND ANY OTHER TEXTS.

How I Made a Gaussian Blur:

Example

To make a Gaussian blur, you

have to go to ‘FILTER’ and

choose the blur.

Then this box appears and you choose

(change the radius) how blurry you would

like it to be and it shows a preview of how

your image is going to look.

Then

you

chose

the

rubber

tool.

Continued

Make sure

you are on

the right

layer and

then rub

to show

what you

want to

appear on

your

document

FINISHED IMAGE